Travelling through Mumbai, Ghaziabad, Himachal Pradesh, Ranchi, Chindwada and raising people’s issues at all these places, the Chunav par Nazar Yatra team has reached Delhi today, to highlight the concerns of the lakhs of urban poor, unorganized working classes and basti dwellers as also the farmers and landless living on the periphery of Delhi, who are battling with their life in their struggle to save their lands and livelihoods from an infrastructure-hungry state andreal estate hungry ‘corporate’.

Thousands of farmers, landless dalits, urban basti dwellers, domestic workers, unorganized workers and other contract laboures, hawkers, residents of unauthorized colonies, pavement dwellers, pedestrians, rickshaw pullers and cyclists on unsafe roads will assemble at the Lok Manch today afternoon, which shall take place at the Dharna Sthal of the Khanzawala Bhoomi Bachao Andolan, a 1700 old village, where farmers have been resisting all attempts by land sharks to grab their fertile agricultural lands.

Together, they shall join the the struggling villagers of Khanzawala, as also those of the 900 year old Tekri Kala, Karala and Tekri Khurd villages and question the political parties and candidates on what Lok Sabha Elections 2009 means for their lives and livelihoods and challenge their hollow unkept promises made in 2004 and the arbitrary land acquisition of DDA and DSIDC.

The Campaign in Delhi is a joint initiative of many people’s groups including the National Alliance of People’s Movements, Jan Sangharsh Vahini, National Kissan Mazdoor Federation, Delhi Solidarity Group, Bandhua Mukti Morcha, National Workers Federation, National Domestic Workers Federation, Urban Women Worker’s Organization, Jan Sanghash Sanyukt Morcha and other groups.

Smt. Krishna Teerath from the Congress Party, Smt. Meera Kavariya from the BJP and Shri Rakesh Hans from the BSP have agreed to join the Manch and present their party’s position on people’s issues today.

In addition to electoral reforms proposed by us (see below) decentralization is very much necessary for a real democracy. Decisions of Basti Sabhas consisting of 3000 families in each city and those of the Gram Sabhas must be the basis of any democratic decision – making process. We, the people’s organizations, who have profound faith in the Lok Satta (people’s power) above the Lok Sabha have proposed a Jan Bhagidari Bill on which we invite political parties to give their comments and responses (draft available for comment).

As people’s movements, using the twin methods of Sanghash (struggle) and Nirman (reconstruction), we areworking on the issues of development in the context of destructive displacement towards for equity and justice self-reliance and sustainability and this pre-election monitoring campaign is a part of this process. The Campaign is in Delhi today to shake the conscience of the power holders and power aspirants about their real commitment to people’s everyday issues and the tall claims in their manifestos. The thousands of development-affected people are determined in their voice; Sawaal lekar aaye hai’ – Jawaab lekar jaayenge’.

The campaign will travel to Indore from here on the 17thand toNandurbar (Maharashtra) on the 19thwhere thousands of adivasis in the Narmada valley shall question parties on various issues including displacement, right to work, health and food etc.